56. The lunar cycle
TRANSLATION
some other system, the hands can nonetheless readily hold the cycles of both planets. But many aspects of this discipline, just as of the other arts, are better conveyed by the utterance of a living voice than by the labour of an inscribing pen. /445/
56. THE LUNAR CYCLE
The lunar cycle is contained in the ¢fth column [regione] of the 19-year cycle. It begins in the fourth year of that cycle, and ends in the third, and is linked to the month of January, and is Roman in origin. For just as every year of the 19-year cycle begins and ends with the Paschal [lunar] month because of the observation [prescribed in] the law of the Jews, so likewise this [lunar year], as instituted by the Romans, begins with the Moon of the month of January and ends there. What applies to the former [i.e. to the 19-year cycle] also applies to this one: the ¢rst and second years are common, the third is embolismic; the fourth and ¢fth are common, the sixth is embolismic; the seventh is common, the eighth is embolismic. Also the hendecas of the lunar cycle, just like that of the 19-year cycle, has seven common years and four embolismic ones. The common years have 12 lunar months and 354 days, but the embolismic ones have 13 lunar months and 384 days, minus one from the 17th year of this cycle, which is the ¢rst year of the 19-year cycle, from which one day is subtracted because of the ''leap of the Moon''. In order to make this plainer, let us look at the course of each year in order, and do for January what Dionysius has done for the Paschal month.
In lunar year 1 (19-year cycle 4) running from the kalends of January [1 January] to the 13th kalends of January [20 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 2 (19-year cycle 5) running from 12th kalends of January [21 December] to the 5th ides of December [9 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 3 (19-year cycle 6) running from the 4th ides of December [10 December] to the 5th kalends of January [28 December], there are
384 days, because it is embolismic.
In lunar year 4 (19-year cycle 7) running from the 4th kalends of January [29 December] to the 16th kalends of January [17 December], there are
354 days, because it is common.
THE RECKONING OF TIME
In lunar year 5 (19-year cycle 8) running from the 15th kalends of January [18 December] to the 8th ides of December [6 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 6 (19-year cycle 9) running from the 7th ides of December [7 December] to the 8th kalends of January [25 December], there are 384 days, because it is embolismic.
In lunar year 7 (19-year cycle 10) running from the 7th kalends of January [26 December] to the 19th kalends of January [14 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 8 (19-year cycle 11) running from the 18th kalends of January [15 December] to the 4th nones of January [2 January], there are 384 days, because it is embolismic.
In lunar year 9 (19-year cycle 12) running from the 3rd nones of January [3 January] /446/ to the 11th kalends of January [22 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 10 (19-year cycle 13) running from the 10th kalends of January [23 December] to the 3rd ides of December [11 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 11 (19-year cycle 14) running from the 2nd ides of December [12 December] to the 3rd kalends of January [30 December], there are 384 days, because it is embolismic.
In lunar year 12 (19-year cycle 15) running from the 2nd kalends of January [31 December] to the 14th kalends of January [19 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 13 (19-year cycle 16) running from the 13th kalends of January [20 December] to the 6th ides of December [8 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.
In lunar year 14 (19-year cycle 17) running from the 5th ides of December [9 December] to the 6th kalends of January [27 December], there are 384 days, because it is embolismic.
In lunar year 15 (19-year cycle 18) running from the 5th kalends of January [28 December] to the 17th kalends of January [16 December], there are 354 days, because it is common.